Friday, April 27, 2018 30 students named to ‘Franco’s List,’ 10 students honored for civic engagement
Franco's List recipients (left to right), Front Row: Alexis Grossnicklaus, Hannah DePriest, Cassidy Taladay, Brittany Hamor, Mickey Tran, Alexis Gass, Hallie Hohbein; Middle Row: Karl Shaffer, Lauren Taylor, Courtney Philips, Emma Himes, Zainab Saleh, JeongAh Kim, Xinyue Wang, Eric Bohnenkamp, Steven Kirchner; Back Row: Lindsey Jarema, Ivy Williams, Kelsey Rodis, Lauren Brown-Hulme, Addison Pauley, Matt McMullin, Nickolaus St. Onge; Not Pictured: Cannon Ahrens, Victoria Burbridge, Tori Oestmann, Rachel Beeney, Yves Bemba, Hailey Fischer, Bo Kitrell
A combined ceremony on Thursday, April 19, recognized positive achievements for students named to ‘Franco’s List’ and those who earned certificates and service awards through the Center for Civic Engagement. At the event the Character Council awarded two additional distinctions, the Sam Foltz Award and the Franco Fund Scholarship.
Sam Foltz Award
The Sam Foltz Award is named for Sam Foltz, a student who passed away in 2016 and was a Franco’s List recipient in 2015. The Foltz award honors one Franco’s List recipient each academic year who exhibits the characteristics of caring, courage, commitment and open-mindedness, the same characteristics for which Foltz was honored.
"The Sam Foltz Award is so important to the Character Council because it is an opportunity for us to honor the legacy of Sam Foltz and the character and integrity he represented,” said Jerica Burgess, president of the Character Council, the student organization who selects Franco’s List recipients. This year the council honored senior Cassy Ross from the College of Arts and Sciences with the Foltz award.
Franco Fund Scholarship
In honor of the late Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Juan N. Franco, the council awards a $250 scholarship known as the 'Franco Fund' to the Franco’s List recipient who has given their time to philantrhopic organizations each academic year. Started in 2017, the scholarship may go toward the recipient’s choice of a cause or project.
This year’s Franco Fund Scholarship recipient is Cooper Christiancy, a student active in the university's chapter of Define American and a volunteer for El Centro de Las Americas.
Franco’s List
Thirty students were named to ‘Franco’s List,’ a distinction for character and integrity that is similar to a Dean’s list.
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources:
Steven Kirchner, senior, from Omaha
Nickolaus St. Onge, senior, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin
College of Arts and Sciences:
Karl Shaffer, sophomore, from Greensboro, North Carolina
Lauren Taylor, junior, from Raymond
Zainab Saleh, junior, from Lincoln
Jeong Ah Kim, senior, from Seoul, South Korea
Tuyet "Mickey" Tran, sophomore, from Lincoln
Alexis Gass, sophomore, from Lincoln
Emma Himes, senior, from Omaha
Xinyue Wang, senior, from Beijing, China
Hailey Fischer, junior, from Loveland, CO
Eric Bohnenkamp, junior, from Omaha
Alexis Grossnicklaus, sophomore, from Ellisville, Missouri
College of Business:
Kelsey Rodis, junior, from Omaha
Cannon Ahrens, freshman, from Gretna
College of Education and Human Sciences:
Matt McMullin, junior, from Leigh
Addison Pauley, junior, from Milford
Rachel Beeney, sophomore, from Scottsbluff
College of Engineering:
Hallie Hohbein, sophomore, from Lincoln
Ivy Williams, junior, from Omaha
Bo Kitrell, senior, from Ashland
Lindsey Jarema, junior, from Erie, Pennsylvania
Victoria Burbridge, sophomore, from Sacremento, California
College of Journalism and Mass Communications:
Hannah DePriest, junior, from Omaha
Brittany Hamor, junior, from Omaha
Lauren Brown-Hulme, senior, from Prairie Village, Kansas
Cassidy Taladay, junior, from Lincoln
Explore Center:
Courtney Philips, freshman, from Bertrand
Tori Oestmann, freshman, from Elkhorn
Office of Graduate Studies:
Yves Bemba, graduate student, from Omaha
Certificates for Civic Engagement
The Center for Civic Engagement honored nine students for completing the certificate program which integrated academic outcomes and student life experiences.
- Corrin Bemis, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "Summit for Women in STEM and Business"
- Jennifer Davis, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "Pre-PA Guide"
- Matthew Hennings, College of Engineering, final project: "Handbook for Facilitation of Mentorship in Science"
- Emily Johnson, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "UCARE: Two Computerized Tests of Attention"
- Jaime Johnson, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, final project: "Toys for Tots Campaign"
- Kezie Mwaniki, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "Empowering UNL Students to Become Better Leaders"
- Carly O'Dell, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "TeamMates"
- Macy Palmer, College of Education and Human Sciences, final project: "A Guide for Virtual Interactions"
- Melissa Throener, College of Arts and Sciences, final project: "Coach for Girls Basketball and Raymond Central"
Spirit of Service Awards
Additional honors at the program included the Spirit of Service awards which recognize students, student organizations, university employees and the community for their civic-minded efforts and/or service-learning participation.
- Student: Ibraheem Hamzat, sophomore, from College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
- Student Organization: Mexican American Student Association (MASA)
- Staff: Moises Padilla, assistant director, Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services (OASIS)
- Faculty: Amber Messersmith, lecturer, College of Business
- Community Partners: Nebraska Community Blood Bank; Jesse Arreguin, GRID Alternatives